Bexar County DA drops charges against teen shot by terminated San Antonio police officer

Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales has dropped charges against a teenager who was shot Sunday in a McDonald’s parking lot by a now former-SAPD officer, KSAT reports. 

During a Friday press conference, Gonzales told the TV station his office opted to dismiss the charges, pending additional investigation. The decision came after examining video footage of the shooting and fielding concerns about the case.

Rookie officer James Brennand shot Erik Cantu, 17, multiple times while the young man was in the parking lot of the North Side fast-food spot. The officer has since been fired for violating department policies, according to multiple media reports.

“There have been concerns in the community about the status of both that officer and teenager,” Gonzales said, according to KSAT. “I will tell you that, when the case was filed, the teenager was originally charged with evading with a vehicle and aggravated assault.”

Gonzales said his decision to drop the charges doesn’t rule out filing others against Cantu, according to the TV station. The teen is reportedly in critical but stable condition in a local hospital. The DA said the youth’s parents were only allowed limited contact while he was in custody, the station reports.

Gonzales said his office hasn’t determined whether to file charges against Brennand, according to KSAT. That decision will come after SAPD provides the case files and the office’s Civil Rights Division is able to review the facts, he added, noting that criminal charges are possible.

The encounter between Brennand and Cantu happened after the officer showed up to a 10:45 p.m. disturbance call and noticed a car in the McDonald’s parking lot that he thought had evaded him the night before, according to earlier media reports.

Body-cam video released by SAPD shows Brennand fling open the car’s door, surprising Cantu and a passenger as they eat. The clip shows the car roll backward, although it’s unclear whether the teen driver put it in reverse or his foot left the brake pedal.

Brennand opens fire as Cantu’s vehicle moves in reverse, the video shows. The officer then unloads additional rounds as the teen attempts to drive out of the parking lot.

Brennand told SAPD officials he was hit by the vehicle’s door as it moved in reverse, according to KSAT.

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This article appears in Oct 5-18, 2022.